Cancer Vaccines in Global Oncology Practice: Expert Opinion by Natalia Khranovska

The main methods of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, none of them can guarantee that the disease will not return even after timely treatment. Therefore, scientists have focused on an approach that would activate the patient’s immune system to fight cancer cells. This is how the first anti-tumor vaccines were developed. They have different mechanisms of action, and each is suitable for specific purposes.

To learn more about this innovative treatment method, we decided to talk with an expert in this field – Natalia Khranovska, head of the experimental oncology research laboratory at the National Cancer Institute of Ukraine, Doctor of Biological Sciences.

Natalia Khranovska defended her doctoral dissertation, which was dedicated to the development of dendritic cell-based vaccines. For this development, she received the State Prize in Science and Technology in 2016.

What Are Dendritic Vaccines?

Dendritic cells are immune system cells also known as antigen-presenting cells. They are the “conductors” of the immune orchestra. They convey information about foreign or mutant proteins to T-killer cells – lymphocytes that destroy pathogenic agents. T-lymphocytes do not “see” the threat; they “understand” which cells to attack only after the dendritic cell presents (shows) it to them.

The complexity of cancer treatment lies in the fact that the tumor develops mechanisms that allow it to protect itself from the immune system. One of these mechanisms is the suppression of dendritic cell function. Scientists approached solving this problem as follows: they isolated precursor dendritic cells from the patient’s bloodstream and allowed them to mature under laboratory conditions. This preserved their functions.

To teach dendritic cells to recognize cancer, researchers added antigens obtained from the patient’s tumor sample to them. Once the grown dendritic cells enter the body, they begin to attack the tumor. Since no two malignant tumors are alike, the vaccine is custom-made for each cancer patient.

How Is Treatment with Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccines Conducted?

Treatment consists of several main stages:

1. Blood and tumor samples are taken from the patient.
2. Using specialized equipment, precursor dendritic cells are isolated from the blood, and tumor antigens are obtained from malignant tissue.
3. Dendritic cells are grown in the laboratory, “loading” them with tumor antigens.
4. Mature, trained cells are injected into the patient. Entering the bloodstream, they head to the nearest lymph node.
5. Dendritic cells present (show) the tumor antigens to T-lymphocytes, after which natural killers migrate to the site of the malignant process and kill cancer cells.
6. Since T-lymphocytes have immunological memory, the effect of vaccine therapy lasts for a long time, which helps prevent the recurrence of the malignant process.

How Effective Are Dendritic Cell Vaccines?

According to Natalia Khranovska, the team of researchers under her leadership managed to achieve a 10-year recurrence-free survival rate in patients with stage 2-3 lung adenocarcinoma. Good results were also obtained for ovarian cancer (some patients survived for 15 years or more) and other types of cancer.

If you are interested in treatment with dendritic cell vaccines, write or call us to get a free consultation. The coordinating doctor will explain in detail how the drug works, determine if you are a candidate for immunotherapy, and help organize the treatment.

What Types Of Cancer Vaccines Exist Abroad?

Medical experts from MedTour analyzed information on cancer vaccines developed in other countries. The most well-known among them are:

• Dendreon, Provengue. Country of registration: USA, cost $90,000 per course. Active ingredient: sipuleucel-T. It is designed for the treatment of androgen-dependent and metastatic prostate cancer. In the first case, it increases three-year survival by 38%, in the second – overall survival by 4 months.
• IO-VAK. Country of registration: Germany, cost $55,000 per course. The drug is produced in Cologne, the only medical center in Europe licensed to produce dendritic vaccines. The main component of the immunotherapy drug is tumor and dendritic cells isolated from the patient’s body. The vaccine is used to treat most types of cancer.
• DCVax. Country of registration: USA, in clinical trials, estimated cost $37,000 per course. The vaccine is currently approved for the treatment of glioblastoma but is also being tested for prostate, ovarian, and some other cancers. In patients with glioblastoma, DCVax increased median survival from 18 months to 23. Some patients achieved survival of 3 years or more.
• T-VEC (Imlygic®). Country of registration: USA, cost $65,000. A vaccine based on an oncolytic virus used to treat progressive melanoma that cannot be completely surgically removed. The basis of the drug is a virus that has been genetically modified to stimulate an anti-cancer immune response.

What About Cancer Vaccine Treatment in Ukraine?

Scientific research in the field of cancer vaccine therapy has been conducted in Ukraine since the 1980s. During this time, several types of cancer vaccines have been developed, proving their effectiveness in clinical trials. One of the most modern drugs in this field is the cancer vaccine marketed under the trade name Cancerax.

There are two types of Cancerax vaccines, differing in their mechanism of action and scope of application.

• Autovaccine Cancerax – is used to treat a wide range of cancers in combination with standard anti-cancer therapy. The drug is created individually for each patient based on a sample of the removed malignant tumor. To enhance the immune response, cells are also modified by exposure to cytotoxic lectins B. subtilis B-7025 (this is a unique development by Ukrainian scientists). Administration of the vaccine helps overcome immune system tolerance and forces it to fight cancer cells on its own. Vaccine therapy reduces the likelihood of cancer recurrence and increases the duration and improves the quality of life of cancer patients.
• Xenovaccine Cancerax – is suitable for treating patients who had surgery a long time ago and do not have a tumor tissue sample. Used to prevent the development and recurrence of cancer. The drug is made from quail embryo tumor-associated antigens, which are structurally similar to tumor proteins, serving as specific targets for T-lymphocytes. To enhance the immune response, antigens are biotransformed under the influence of cytotoxic proteins B. subtilis B-7025.

What Types of Cancer Can Be Treated with Cancer Vaccines?

Vaccines are used to treat various types of cancers, including:

• Colorectal cancer;
• Kidney cancer;
• Bladder cancer;
• Breast cancer;
• Pancreatic cancer;
• Lung cancer;
• Melanoma;
• Brain cancer (glioblastoma).

Treatment with Cancerax vaccines allows for a significant increase in recurrence-free survival of patients. Moreover, the cost of the Ukrainian cancer vaccine is much lower than that of foreign analogs.

Why Is There So Little Known About the Cancerax Vaccine?

In fact, there is a lot of information. In recent years, 5 large-scale clinical studies involving more than 1000 cancer patients have been conducted. The authors of the vaccine defended 3 candidate and 3 doctoral dissertations. The drug has received wide recognition at international medical forums. Currently, vaccine therapy is a revolutionary cancer treatment with clinically proven effectiveness.

If you are interested in treatment with the Cancerax vaccine, write or call us to get a free consultation. The coordinating doctor will explain in detail how the vaccines work, determine if you are a candidate for immunotherapy, and help organize the treatment.

What are cancer vaccines and how effective are they? Is this innovative cancer treatment method currently available? Find out more at MedTour.